Snap hook



April 13,1925. 1,580,664

F. H. GRAIF, JR

SNAP HOOK Filed Dec. 5 1925 c-awmdmw k 351$ Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNITE STATES.

PATENT GFFICE.

FRANK H. GRAIF, J 3., OF OWATONNA, MINNESOTA.

SNAP noon.

Application filed December 5, 1925. Serial No. 73,449.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. GRAIF, Jr, citizen of the United States, residing at Owatonna, in the county of Steele and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Snap Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to snap hooks and has for its object the production of a simple and efficient snap hook which comprises a minimum number of parts and which may be constructed at a very minimum expense.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient snap hook which is preferably constructed of wire and which may be very easily and conveniently operated.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the hook.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof,

Figure 3 is a detail perspective of the inner end of the hook.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that 1 designates the securing loop of the hook which constitutes a substantially rectangular structure having its forward portion constituting a pair of converging legs 2 which are brought together to constitute a pair of substantially parallel arms 3. These arms 3 are curved upwardly to produce a securing hook 4t and are preferably spaced from each other and the extremity of the hook a is bent abruptly upwardly to produce the stop shoulder 5. The end of the wire which forms one of the arms 3 is bent forwardly to constitute a spring tongue 6, which spring tongue is bent abruptly upwardly to constitute a knob 7 which is adapted to fit behind the shoulder portion 5 when the spring tongue 6 is in an operative position. The knob 7 terminates in a downwardly extending lip 8, which lip extends between the parallel portion 9 of the hook 4 as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, this lip 8 constituting means for assisting in holding the spring tongue 6 against lateral swinging movement when the tongue 6 is being pressed. The opposite extremity of the wire which forms one end of one of the legs 2 of the loop 1 is coiled about the inner end of the substantially parallel arms 3 as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 to produce a securing coil 10, in thisway constituting a firm binder for holding the inner end of the substantially parallel arms 3 together. At the same time this coil 10 will constitute an eflicient anchoring means for the inner end of the hook 6 to facilitate the holding of the hook in its proper place andat the same time in cooperation with the lip 8 hold the tongue 6 against lateral twisting movement which might tend to displace the tongue 6 while the same is being compressed. The spring action of the tongue 6 will normally cause the knob 7 to engage the shoulder portion 5 and the lip 8 will also constiutute a closure for the inner end of the pockets 11 of the hook l, thereby permitting the snap to conveniently engage a suitable object such as a ring upon harness and the like.

Although the present invention is particularly adapted for a construction comprising a one length of wire device, and is preferabl y formed of one length of Wire, it should be understood that certain detail changes in mechanical construction may be employedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended claims. In constructing the hook just described, the loop 1 is first formed and then one of the arms 3 is extended to project substantially at right angles to the loop and then the hook L is formed, the extremity of which is provided with the shoulder 5 by bending the wire upwardly as clearly illustrated, the end of the wire being bent backwardly to conform to the first hook, thereby producing the substantially parallel members 9. The free end of the wire is then bent backwardly to ex tend substantially parallel to the first arm 3 thereby producing the substantially parallel arms 3, the extremity of which is bent backwardly upon itself to produce the spring tongue 6. This tongue 6 is then bent upwardly at an abrupt angle to constitute the knob 7, the extremity of which is then bent downwardly to produce the lips 8. The opposite end of the wire which constitutes a short length from the loop 1 is coiled about the inner end of the inner ends of the substantially parallel arms 3 constituting a binder as clearly described above. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spring tongue 6 may be cut away or filed away to produce a flattened portion 12, in this way adding to the spring nature of the tongue 6 by reducing its thickness.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is: I

1. A snap hook of the class described comprising a shank portion consisting of a pair or substantially parallel arms terminating in upwardly extending hook portions arranged in spaced relation, the extremity of which terminatesin a shoulder portion, a spring tongue associated with the substantially parallel arms and provided at its extremity with an upwardly extending knob adapted to abut against the shoulder portion, said knob terminating in a downwardly extending lip projecting between. the substantially parallel hook for resisting the lateral movement of said tongue while the same is being compressed, and said tongue provided with a flattened portion intermediate the ends thereof for increasing the spring action of said tongue, and a binder extending and wound about said substantially parallel arms near their inner ends.

2. A snap hook of the class described formed from a single length 01' wire and comprising a loop having a pair of converging legs, one of said legs being extended to form an arm, said arm being extended and bent to provide a hook and a second arm arranged substantially parallel with the first arm, the last named arm being bent upon itself to form a spring tongue, said tongue provided with a flattened portion approximately intermediate its ends, and the other leg being extended and coiled about the parallel arms immediately adjacent the hook for producing a binder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK H. GRAIF, JR. 

